Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Opening at SOMArts: “Vision, Vitality and Visibility”

The Asian-American Women Artists Association (AAWAA) is celebrating its 20th anniversary by an exhibit, a party and and plans for 20 more years of promoting positive change. Founded in 1989, AAWAA has worked to address the persistent “invisibility” of women artists of Asian/Pacific Islander descent in galleries, museums, media outlets and educational curricula. The organization has promoted and supported Asian American women though exhibits, publications, a speaker's bureau and now, an archive. “We not only provide professional support to emerging and seasoned artists, but also work to ensure that Asian American women artists are rightfully acknowledged by the public, by academia and by art museums/galleries,” says Cynthia Tom, president of the AAWAA board. For instance, the former president (now deceased), Bernice Bing has one of her magnificent pieces in the permanent collection of the De Young Museum (unfortunately it's currently not on display - perhaps this is something that can be addressed during the anniversary celebrations?).

The artists exhibiting in Vision, Vitality and Visibility work with a variety of media – sculptures, drawings, paintings, photography and mixed media. Representing Asian ethnicities such as Japanese, Chinese, Pilipina, Vietnamese and Indian, they encompass first through fourth generation Asian-Americans.